" so... that means no coffee for me? "
KAORI was planning on doing what she does every single day. Until fireworks and a strange blackout brought her onto a place where she would have to play some twisted games to survive.
" i don't know who's in ch...
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"I GOT A CALL from the University," Kaori's father said, "I've been told by the deen she stopped going to classes."
Kaori stopped dead in her tracks at her father's voice. He was in his office with her mother, both unaware that Kaori was supposed to pick up her sister from school.
"You don't look surprised," he noticed, "How long have you known?"
"She wanted to tell you herself," the mother replied, "She was just scared of your reaction."
He huffed, "Well, what's she expecting? A round of applause? What is she gonna do with her life?"
"You know she's never been interested in physics, you can't force her to follow a path she doesn't like."
"Because I was given a choice?" the father replied, "Back in my days, we would listen and obey because we knew our parents were right. I never once doubted my father's choices, he did what was best for me."
"And you never wished you would've followed your heart and become a teacher instead?"
"I am successful and wealthy, I don't think about what could've been," he replied harshly, "What will she do, uh? Write books?"
"What if she does?" the mother snapped, "She's been published, people say she's good, why can't you let her do what she likes?"
"Because that's not a career!" he shouted, "She's living in a fantasy world when I know she is smart and could do great things in life! Do you know how embarrassing it is to be told that your daughter, top of the class, decided to give up? How bad it looks for the family? Everything we've worked for, she decided to throw it out the window!"
"Stop saying that, please!" the mother exploded, "I'm begging you to open your heart and mind."
"She ruined everything."
Kaori's sister involuntarily dropped her bowl of cereal when the words left her father's mouth and the parents both looked out to see Kaori already focused on them. They paled when seeing the blank expression on her face, resembling a lifeless doll.
Finally, she blinked and bowed, "I'm sorry."
Kaori turned around, making her way to the living room where her little sister was now trying to clean up the mess she had caused. The joyful credits of an anime were filling the room and creating a weird atmosphere. For a second, Kaori almost forgot everything she had just heard.
She kissed her little sister on the forehead and grabbed her purse when her mother sprinted in the room, "Kaori, please, don't listen to him. He—he needs time."
Kaori opened the front door and gave one last look at her crying mother, "Me too."
